Basketball, Netball, Dodgeball, Volleyball, and Squash are just some of the common court sports that Australian's play throughout the year. Whether players are doing so for exercise, leisure or competition, court sports require high levels of speed, agility, and rapid movement, all by which can put players at risk of injury. Today, our very own basketball-loving Joe chatted to us about some simple preventative tips that can keep players on the court and away from the sidelines.
1. Warm-ups are vital
"Most people stretch their arms and legs and jump straight onto the court. The problem with this is that players aren't stretching the muscles that receive high impacts such as the fingers and ankles." This means that jarring fingers and rolling ankles are far more likely to occur because the muscles have not been prepared for physical activity.
2. Buy the right shoes
So often we have clients come in who have experienced ankle, hip and back pain due to harsh landings during court sport. Though, what many people do not know is that this type of pain could be prevented through the correct shoes and potential use of orthotics. This is because sports shoes are constructed in order to handle the types of impacts, such as jumping, that are common in court sports.
For those who still experience pain after purchasing the correct shoes, orthotics can be a great way to help due to their posture correcting nature. You can also visit a physiotherapist to find out any other corrective methods.
3. If injuries are common, use a brace
"Braces can be a great way to keep muscles and joints in place." For those who commonly experience sprains or other injuries in a recurring place, here at Bankstown Physiotherapy we highly recommend the use of braces. Commonly, the areas that we recommend using a brace for are the ankle, knee, and wrist, however, this can extend to other muscles and joints depending on the type and frequency of injury.
These are a great way to ensure that twists, sprains, and other injuries do not occur due to the high intensity of such sports.
Joe tells us that this is only a small portion of the ways that we can reduce injury when playing court sports. To find out more, contact us at 97933119 or at https://www.bankstownphysiotherapy.com.au/ to find out more.
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